Cage and rack system for housing animals in cages having different widths
First Claim
1. A ventilated cage and rack system for housing at least one cage assembly, said system comprising:
- a ventilated rack having a height, a width and a depth, wherein the rack is constructed and arranged to support a plurality of cages along the width of the rack, the rack including at least one air exhaust plenum running along the width of the rack; and
at least one canopy supported by said rack, the canopy having a length and a width, the canopy being adapted to receive one or more cage assemblies below the canopy while maintaining a gap between the canopy and the top of said cage assembly so as to permit air to be drawn into the air exhaust plenum from the interior of said cage assembly through the top of said cage assembly and to also permit ambient air to be drawn across the top of said cage assembly into the air exhaust plenum;
wherein said cage assembly comprises at least one of a first cage having a first width at or about the width of the canopy or a plurality of second cages having at least a second width, said second width being less than said first width, wherein the combined widths of the second cages positioned side by side along the width of the canopy is at or about the width of the canopy;
wherein the canopy further comprises a centrally disposed channeling element having left and right channel walls extending downwardly from an interior surface of said canopy to facilitate said drawing of ambient air across said top of said cage assembly into the air exhaust plenum when said cage assembly comprises a plurality of said second cages, the canopy also including a front channel wall and a rear channel wall perpendicular and disposed in direct contact with the left and right channels walls and adapted to facilitate said drawing of ambient air across said top of said cage assembly into the air exhaust plenum when said cage assembly comprises a plurality of said second cages.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A ventilated cage and rack system. An embodiment of the invention may comprise a ventilated rack, the rack including at least one air exhaust plenum and at least one canopy disposed within the rack, the canopy being adapted to position a cage assembly below the canopy while maintaining a gap between the top of the cage assembly so as to permit air to be drawn into the air exhaust plenum from the interior of the cage assembly through the top of the cage assembly and to also permit ambient air to be drawn across the top of the cage assembly into the air exhaust plenum. The cage assembly comprises one of a first cage having a first width and a plurality of second cages having a second width, the second width being less than the first width.
51 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A ventilated cage and rack system for housing at least one cage assembly, said system comprising:
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a ventilated rack having a height, a width and a depth, wherein the rack is constructed and arranged to support a plurality of cages along the width of the rack, the rack including at least one air exhaust plenum running along the width of the rack; and at least one canopy supported by said rack, the canopy having a length and a width, the canopy being adapted to receive one or more cage assemblies below the canopy while maintaining a gap between the canopy and the top of said cage assembly so as to permit air to be drawn into the air exhaust plenum from the interior of said cage assembly through the top of said cage assembly and to also permit ambient air to be drawn across the top of said cage assembly into the air exhaust plenum; wherein said cage assembly comprises at least one of a first cage having a first width at or about the width of the canopy or a plurality of second cages having at least a second width, said second width being less than said first width, wherein the combined widths of the second cages positioned side by side along the width of the canopy is at or about the width of the canopy; wherein the canopy further comprises a centrally disposed channeling element having left and right channel walls extending downwardly from an interior surface of said canopy to facilitate said drawing of ambient air across said top of said cage assembly into the air exhaust plenum when said cage assembly comprises a plurality of said second cages, the canopy also including a front channel wall and a rear channel wall perpendicular and disposed in direct contact with the left and right channels walls and adapted to facilitate said drawing of ambient air across said top of said cage assembly into the air exhaust plenum when said cage assembly comprises a plurality of said second cages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A ventilated rack for housing cages having different widths, said system comprising:
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a ventilated rack having a height, a width and a depth, wherein the rack is constructed and arranged to position a plurality of cages along the width of the rack, the rack including at least one air exhaust plenum running along the width of the rack; and one or more canopies supported by said rack, the canopies having a length and width, at least one of said canopies being adapted to receive either one of a first cage or two of a second cage below the canopy so as to permit air to be drawn into the air exhaust plenum from the interior of each cage, the first cage having a first width at or about the width of the canopy, and the second cage having a second width, wherein the combined widths of two second cages positioned side by side along the width of the canopy is at or about the width of the canopy; wherein said at least one of said canopies is adapted such that ambient air is drawn across the top of said cages into the air exhaust plenum, the at least one canopies further comprising a centrally disposed channeling element having left and right channel walls extending downwardly from an interior surface of said at least one canopy, said channeling element having a front channel wall and a rear channel wall perpendicular and disposed in direct contact with the left and right channel walls and adapted to facilitate said drawing of ambient air across said top of said cages. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A ventilated cage and rack system for housing at least one cage assembly, said system comprising:
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a ventilated rack having a height, a width and a depth, wherein the rack is constructed and arranged to support a plurality of canopies, the rack including at least one air exhaust plenum running along the width of the rack; a plurality of canopies supported by said rack, each canopy having a length and a width, the width being defined by at least two side plates, each canopy being adapted to receive one or more cage assemblies between the side plates below the canopy, such that a gap exists between the canopy and the top of said cage assembly so as to permit air to be drawn into the air exhaust plenum from the interior of said cage assembly through the top of said cage assembly and to also permit ambient air to be drawn across the top of said cage assembly into the air exhaust plenum; wherein said cage assembly comprises at least one of a first cage having a first width at or about the width of the canopy or a plurality of second cages having at least a second width, said second width being less than said first width, wherein the combined widths of the second cages positioned side by side along the width of the canopy is at or about the width of the canopy; wherein the plurality of canopies further comprising a centrally disposed channeling element having left and right channel walls extending downwardly from an interior surface of each canopy to facilitate said drawing of ambient air across said top of said cage assembly into the air exhaust plenum when said cage assembly comprises a plurality of said second cages, each canopy also including a front channel wall and a rear channel wall perpendicular and disposed in direct contact with the left and right channels walls and adapted to facilitate said drawing of ambient air across said top of said cage assembly into the air exhaust plenum when said cage assembly comprises a plurality of said second cages.
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34. A ventilated cage and rack system for housing at least one cage assembly, said system comprising:
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a ventilated rack having a height, a width and a depth, wherein the rack is constructed and arranged to support a plurality of cages along the width of the rack, the rack including at least one air exhaust plenum running along the width of the rack; and at least one canopy supported by said rack, the canopy having a length and a width, the canopy being adapted to receive one or more cage assemblies below the canopy while maintaining a gap between the canopy and the top of said cage assembly so as to permit air to be drawn into the air exhaust plenum from the interior of said cage assembly through the top of said cage assembly and to also permit ambient air to be drawn across the top of said cage assembly into the air exhaust plenum; wherein said cage assembly comprises at least one of a first cage having a first width at or about the width of the canopy or two second cages having at least a second width, said second width being less than said first width, wherein the combined widths of the second cages positioned side by side along the width of the canopy is at or about the width of the canopy; wherein said canopy comprising a centrally disposed channeling element having left and right channel walls extending downwardly from an interior surface of said canopy to facilitate said drawing of ambient air across said top of said cage assembly into the air exhaust plenum when said cage assembly consists of two cages, the said canopy further comprising a front channel wall and a rear channel wall perpendicular and disposed in direct contact with the left and right channels walls and adapted to facilitate said drawing of ambient air across said top of said cage assembly into the air exhaust plenum when said cage assembly consists of two second cages. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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36. A ventilated rack for housing cages having different widths, said system comprising:
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a ventilated rack having a height, a width and a depth, wherein the rack is constructed and arranged to position a plurality of cages along the width of the rack, the rack including at least one air exhaust plenum running along the width of the rack; and one or more canopies supported by said rack, the canopies having a length and width, at least one of said canopies being adapted to receive either one of a first cage or two of a second cage below the canopy so as to permit air to be drawn into the air exhaust plenum from the interior of each cage, the first cage having a first width at or about the width of the canopy, and the second cage having a second width, wherein the combined widths of two second cages positioned side by side along the width of the canopy is at or about the width of the canopy; wherein said at least one of said canopies is adapted such that ambient air is drawn across the top of said cages into the air exhaust plenum, said at least one of said canopies further comprising one or more flow tabs disposed and extending downwardly from an interior surface of said canopy at a rear corner edge of said canopy, said one or more flow tabs being adapted to facilitate said drawing of ambient air across said top of said cages.
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Specification